Why “Made In India”? 

To many modern consumers, “Made in India” sounds like outsourcing. However, historically, it meant the exact opposite. People traveled to the “Far East” in search of luxury textiles such as silk, and finely woven organic cotton.

We live in a time where geographic labels are moral signals and shorthand indicators of perceived quality, ethics, and even patriotism. “Made in the USA” is assumed to be more ethical, and higher quality. In the 20th century, the United States had a very robust manufacturing economy and we manufactured all kinds of high quality, durable goods. As the story goes, we began to outsource the making of consumer products to countries like China, where goods are often, but not always, mass produced at a lower cost. Because of this, when consumers see “Made in China”, “Made in India”, “Made in Vietnam”, etc… they may assume that the product is cheap, mass produced, and disposable. However, historically this is inverted, and even today, it is not always accurate. 

The Silk Road was a 4000 mile network of interconnected land and sea trade routes that brought all kinds of goods and textiles from China, India, and and the broader East to Europe by way of the Mediterranean.¹ Countries such as India and China, specifically, were highly revered as global centers of textile craftsmanship, natural fiber production, and luxury fabric trade in an era where fabrics themselves represented wealth. Prior to the 1800s, Indian cotton textiles dominated global markets.² While many are familiar with the East India Company’s involvement in the spice trade, the company quickly began to revolve around trading Indian cotton, silk, and indigo.³

This trade goes back even further. Cotton and indigo dyed fabrics from India were so prized in Ancient Rome that pearls and gold were given in exchange for these items. Due to the high demand of this “wool that grew on plants”, as the Romans called it, wealth began flowing out of Rome to India.⁴ This eventually lead to a ban on Indian muslin imports, one of the earliest recorded examples of textile trade protectionism.⁴

For most of human history, the West imported textiles from the East, not the other way around. Distance once increased the perceived value of goods, and exotic materials meant status in Western societies. Meanwhile, the knowledge required to grow, spin, weave, dye, and finish textiles remained geographically rooted in regions such as India.² Many of these ancient textile traditions continue, and are preserved today by artisans who have learned their craft through generations. 

There are ancient methods of growing, weaving, cutting, dyeing, and sewing fabric that colonialism and industrialization could not completely erase. What we consider to be “developing world manufacturing” often emerged from centuries of economic restructuring, colonial extraction, and industrialization, not an absence of skill, tradition, or material quality and integrity.²

In recent decades, however, we have started to see the rise of “fast fashion”, synthetic fibers, and disposible consumer culture. Global perceptions of manufacturing has changed as production increasingly prioritized speed and cost over craftsmanship, often at the expense of workers, environmental standards, and product quality. However, the problem has never been geography, but the philosophy behind “fast and cheap”. 

Earthspun Loom blankets are “Made in India” because India has a deep generational knowledge of cotton cultivation, spinning, and textile finishing. We work with artisan-led manufactoring partners who take pride in their craft and their heritage. Much of India’s contemporary textile production involves conventional, chemical-intensive processing, but there remains a strong and growing network of producers dedicated to organic cotton, sustainable textile processes, and traditional craftsmanship, and we are honored to support this work. 

India offers a climate naturally suited to cotton cultivation, established supply chains for natural fibers, ⁵ and a highly skilled textile workforce. It is not simply a “low-cost manufacturing option”- it is a globally recognized textile ecosystem with centuries of specialization.

Our manufacturing partners' facilities are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, WFTO Fair Trade Certified. These certifications ensure adherence to standards such as living wages, safe working environments, transparent supply chains and the prohbition of child labor.⁶ They utilize AZO-free dyes and environmentally responsible processing methods to ensure product safety and worker health. They are partners that we’ve loved working with, and have been happy to support. The product quality, the most important thing to Earthspun Loom, is exceptional. You can feel it for yourself.  

The “Made in America”  label remains deeply meaningful to many consumers, and we Americans have a textile heritage to be proud of as well. Post WWII saw a global manufacturing expansion, and American textile production and manufacturing saw an increase in employment and quality goods being made right here in America. While it is true that high quality cotton goods are still produced domestically, many of these operations are long-established heritage manufacturers, and the landscape can be challenging for emerging brands to enter. 

In researching domestic production, we found very high Minimum Order Quantities (MoQs) for natural fiber bedding, longer product development timelines, and limited accessibility for small startups. Some facilities had defunct phone lines and out-of-service email addresses, making establishing a relationship as a new, small brand very challenging. So while we remain open to future partnerships within the United States, our immediate priority is to produce the highest quality natural fiber bedding possible, grow sustainably as a small business, and get our products into our beloved customers' hands as quickly as possible. For many modern startups, this still requires looking globally. The irony is not lost that it's easier to achieve many of those goals today by going halfway around the world, but the resulting product makes the journey worthwhile. 

Today’s consumers are begining to ask deeper questions about material integrity, sustainable manufacturing, and long-term product value. As fast fashion declines in cultural influence, the demand for honest materials, durable construction, and transparent sourcing continues to grow. Geography alone is not a reliable proxy for ethics or craftsmanship. True sustainability lies in natural fibers, longevity, and transparency. Earthspun Loom seeks to honor the lineage of textile excellence wherever it exists, do business with our partners fairly and honestly, and most importantly, to create high-quality organic cotton bedding designed to support comfort, health, and long-term use.